The present invention relates to a device for monopodic reeducation, particularly for the treatment of various disorders of the pelvic limbs, of the spinal column, for the prevention of injuries that may occur during sports activities in which standing on a single foot is required and for the recovery of the functions of the postural antigravity muscles, particularly in the elder people.
In order to maintain the erect antigravity posture there are specific muscles, termed postural muscles, which are controlled by the cerebellum; since these muscles are involuntary, their automatic operation is controlled by an interplay of receptor information that is located in the foot sole and interacts with the neurological system of vestibular equilibrium.
During monopodic standing, a neurological component, the so-called "archicerebellum", belonging to the subcortical vestibular equilibrium system is influenced by the receptors that are present in the muscles of the deep anterior plantar layer, which are constituted by the adductor of the hallux, by the transverse and oblique bundles, and by the short flexor of the hallux.
During walking, the adductor and the short flexor of the hallux maintain pelvic equilibrium, coordinating the activity of the tripod, i.e., of the pes anserinus muscles.
During walking, said deep anterior plantar layer acts in the monopodic support phase, and the archicerebellum maintains equilibrium during this phase.
During running there is no bipedic phase; there are periods in which the right foot, and then the left foot, rests on the ground separated by flight periods.
In this case, the information sent by the deep anterior plantar layer becomes shorter as monopodic leaning decreases, and said monopodic leaning decreases as the running speed increases.
This period of anterior monopodic leaning highlights the importance of the archicerebellar equilibrium system, which is closely linked to the running speed.
The faster the running speed, the more the individual crouches; the elbows are folded and close to the body, which is tilted forwards, so that the center of gravity is located as forward as possible.
The particular position of the nape of the neck and of the eyes is conditioned by the vestibule-eye-nape circuit under archicerebellar control, with tight dependency on the pressure receptors that are packed in the adductor and flexor muscles of the hallux.
In order to reeducate the muscles of the deep plantar layer and to maintain pelvic equilibrium during monopodic support, an implement is currently used which is constituted by an open shoe below which a wood hemisphere is connected by screwing.
This hemisphere usually has three different screwing points; this is done both to provide a different application point, and therefore a different stimulation of the user's foot, and to allow to use the same open shoe by adapting it to users having different foot sizes.
This conventional implement, however, has drawbacks due to the particular static behavior of the open shoe: the hardness of the foot resting surface causes the muscles of the deep anterior plantar layer to continue to send constant information to the archicerebellum, which is capable of memorizing the signals received, invalidating the therapeutic functionality of the implement.
The memorization ability of receptors is a very important element in motor rehabilitation: persistence of the same stimulus allows the archicerebellum to store said stimulus, adapting the reaction to the new but permanent situation, and no improvement in rehabilitation is thus obtained.
Furthermore, the specific arrangement of the hemisphere with respect to the open shoe limits the possibility of adapting the implement to the specific requirement of the individual for complete and optimum rehabilitation.
Another drawback is linked to the limited performance of the individual implement with respect to foot sizes; it is in fact necessary to provide for individual open shoes for each size or to try and combine a plurality of sizes for the same open shoe.